Fastener



De 15, 1954 M. w. BRoYLr-:s

FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 19, 1961 Mars/ml/ W Bray/es INVENTOR.

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Dec. l5, 1964 M. w. BRoYLl-:s

FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sepl.` 19, 1961 IP. Il

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United States Patent O 3,160,935 FASTENER Marshall W. Broyles, 217 N. Harrison St., Alexandria, Ind. Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,307 Claims. (Cl. 24205.11)

The present invention generally relates to a fastener assembly and more particularly to such a fastener adapted for use in combination with garments and the like.

The use of slide fastener assemblies generally referred to as zippers has become quite prevalent in the garment industry and in many other orientations where flexible components are to be connected together. Inasmuch as the interlocking hooks and the slide of a slide fastener cannot extend completely to the edge of a garment or the f like, it is usual to provide some type of detachable fastener at the edge of the garment for retaining the end edges of the opening in the garment iu closed relation. In ladies dresses, there is' usually provided a small Vloop and hook assembly at the top edge of the vertical opening in the back of a dress. This hook and loop assembly is usually quite difficult to interengage and leaves considerable to be desired as far as neatness is concerned. Further, the loops are quite often formed of threads, cord or the like which have a relatively short life. ingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a fastener assembly for use at the upper edge of an opening in the rear ofia dress or similar garment which is easily manipulated and which retains the connected edges of the garment in direct alinernent and in a neat, at and unwrinkled condition.

Still another object ofthe present invention is to provide a fastener assembly for a garment `or the like including a longitudinally elongated male and female resilient element which are interlocked and disengaged by exerting lateral force on the male and female elements.

Still another object of the prese-nt invention is to provide a fastener assembly in accordance with the preceding objects havinga mounting plate for each of the male and female elements engaged with the slide fastener tape and stitched to the tape or garment by virtue of a plurality of apertures provided therein for receiving a sewing machine needle so that the fastener assembly may be attached directly .tothe tape or garment by virtue of ordinary tailoring techniques. Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a fastener assembly for the -top edge fof a vertical'opening in the back of a dress having forms attached thereto for shaping and retaining the shape of "the top edge portionof the dress adjacent the fastener assembly. Y

Another important feature of this invention is the provision of a fastener assembly which can be attached to any material vin combination or without the slide fastener assembly and which may be employed for various I willbecome subsequently apparent kresidein the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described Vand claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forminga part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 'FIGURE l is a fragmental elevationalview ,with portions shown in section illustrating the fastener assembly Accord- ICC " enlarged scale/taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3 3 of FIGUREI;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the fastener assembly -of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 4A is an elevational view of the fastener assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a View similar to FIGURE l but ,nwith the forming vor shaping attachments mounted thereon;

FIGURE 6 is a detailedsectional View, on an enlarged'` scale, taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 6 6 of Fl'GURE 5 illustrating the manner of attachment of the Shapers to the fastener assembly; i

FIGURE 7 is a perspectiveview of one of the shaping or forming devices;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view illustrating a decorative ornament attached to the fastener assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a detailed sectional View taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 9 9, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the assembly when the decorative ornament is attached thereto;

FIGURE l0 is aperspective view of the ornament clip illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9;

FIGURE ll is a view similar to FIGUREI but illustrating a form of the invention in which the edges of the opening are overlapped; and

FIGURE l2 is atransverse, plan sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially upon a plane passing along section line 12 12 of FIGURE ll. i

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 16 generally designates the fastener assembly of the present invention which includes a male fastener element 12 and a female fastener element 14 both of which are adapted to be disposed in a garment 16 or the like at the upper end of a slide fastener assembly 18 having the usual slider 2i) associated therewith and the usual mounting tape 22 for the interlocking elements of the slide fastener.

The male element includes a mounting pla-te 24 having a reverse bend 26 at the upper edge and a reverse bend 28 at the lower edge with the reverse bend 26 continuing downwardly in the form of a second plate 30 lying alongside of andagainst the plate 24 thus forming a generally rectangular mounting plate of rectangular construction and the reverse bend 2S clamps over the lower edge ofthe plate 30. v Y

I' The female member 14 also includes similar mounting plates 36 and 32 having a reverse-bend 34 at the upper edge and a reverse bend 36 at the lower end7 As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4, the reverse bend 36'extends upwardly into overlying relation to the bottom end of the plate 3 2 as designated by reference numeral 38 thus forming a rigidplate having a loop'40 at the upper end thereof which is defi-ined by the reverse bend.

Each of the fastener elements 12 and 14 includes a plurality ofl laterally elongated slot-like `openings 42 therein which receive a sewing machine needle so ythatl the tape 22 may be readily secured to and attached to the fastener elementsllZ and 14;"

The male fastener element 12 includes a pairof inwardly Vextending notches 44 inthe edge thereof facing the female fastenerelement and the plate 30has a projecting tongue 46 centrally thereof whereby the upper and lower edges lowerinner Aedge of the plate .24 formed by lthe notchv d bythe garment .section v76 Iwill have aportion v96 overlapping the adjacent edge ofthe garment portion 78 thus concealing the fastener assembly. The juncture between the tongue 64' and the extension 94 still forms a socket for receiving the male cylindrical member 48.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles -of the invention. Further, since numerous modiications and ychanges .will readily occur to those v skilled in the art, itis not desired to limit thev invention 44 is provided with a return bent portion 58 Yalso for clamping `engagement with the tape thus securing the male fastener assembly to thetape by -virtue ofthe tape 22 ,proceeding along one surfaceof the male fastener element and being'received and clamped by the reversey bent portions-52 and 58 and then being folded downn w-ardly over the reversely curved toppedgel .and extending alongfthe. other. surface thereof .with stitching extend- 'ing through the tape and the various apertures fory receiving `and retaining the fastener elementssecurely in place. The female fastener element 14 includes a rtongue 6o to the exact construction and" operation shown and described, and accordingly v,allsuitable .modifications and equivalents may ybe vresorted to, .falling within the scope of theinvention .asclaimed Sill/hat is lclaimed as ,newl is .as follows:

l. A fastenerassembly comprising a male lfastener element and a-female fastenerelement, said male element including a plate -havingfa lateral tongue ,on oneedge thereof, said tongue terniinatingin a .substantially cylindrical end edge, said -femalelelement includingl aplate having apa-ir of projecting tongues terminatingin inwardly facing .semieylindrical .sockets at the end edges i therebydening socket .for receiving .the end edge of on therplate 32 and la tongue 64 Von thepplate 31 which v, i.

are defined by notches 66. The tonguesdil and 64 are ,formed intovpartialcylindrical socket-forming members `68 and `thenouter edge of each tongue is provided with -a reverse bent portion 76 which clampingly engages the tapemembers 22 'against the outer surface of the socketforming members 68 Ias illustrated inFlGURE `3. The lower end `,of the plate ,31 isy also provided Witha reverse bent portion 72 for engaging `thetape 2,2 anda pair of projecting ,dimples 74 are ,provided Onthe plate 32 lfor leveling the female fastenerelement 14 when assembling it with a garment inasmuch .as the reverse bent Yportion 7 0 would normallyorientate-the .female fastenerelement in inclined relation when inserting it under a sewing machine head. Thus, with this assembly,;the fastener ele- .ments are assembled withthe top edge of the slider -as-' sembly tape and the gar-ment-elements 76 and 78 which are interconnecte'dby the fastener .elements may -be securedthereto in auyuitableconventional mannerby the useof thestitchingor the like.

In FIGURES 5-7, lthe same typevof construction ,as far as the fastenerassem-bly isillustratedexcept that-the .top edges of the garment portions 76 and 7S are inclined as indicated bynumeral ,80. This is in conjunction with a usual V- shaped collar ,or upperedge. Toform ,and shape this collan-thereisprovidedapair Aof forms of v.generally triangular Yshape Vand `generallyin the form Aof. a triangular plate ;8,2. The triangular plate .82 has la tab 84 at the lower edge thereof separated by la slotV 86 whereby the tab-.84 may slide into the loop 40 formed at lthe vupper edge of the.fastener'elementsthus securing the -forms 82 in place with the inclined Iedge thereof conforming With and engaging the inclined edge of the garment thus shaping and retaining fthe shape of .theedge of the garment Vfor retaining it in neat, unwrinkled and straight condiion.

In FIGURES 8-'10, there is disclosed an arrangement in whicha tab `:8,8 is disposed exterior-ly of "thefgarmentsections '76 vand 78 and a tab is disposed on leac-h of the fastener elements and 'each tab 88 includes .a decorative ornament 9i? which may convenientlybe in the form of an alphabetical Aletter designating .the Yinitials of the 'person FIGURES yll and` l2 illustrate arformof the invention in which one of .the .tongues 64 is entendefdinto an elongated Aleg 94 overlapping-the male-fastener element wherethe tongueon the male Imembenfsaid tongues being of less widt-h than the .platesfand constructed vof resilient materialfor frietional locking engagement, each of said plates including a pluralityof aligned openings whereby a 7sewing .machine needle .may project Atherethrough for stitching ,the elements `of vfabric .members adapted to be connected thereby, `each of said plates being constructed from a reversely folded member adapted tobepositioned Within thereversely foldedendportion of a slide fastenerv mountingtapethus mounting the .assemblyat the end of a.sli de fastener, each of said tongues on the female element being reversely folded to clampingly engaging the edge of the slide fastener tape; v

2. The combination of claim `l wherein one edgeoffeach plate .includes a reversely folded hook on the edgethereof from :which the tongues .project thereby .clampingly engaging theslide fastener ,.tape. Y

`3. 7I'he,combination of claim 2 wherein said plate on .the fernaleelementis .provided with a pairof dimple-like projecting members for :leveling -the femaleelement vwhen moving Aunder i a sewing machine head.

4. InY combination Awith a garment having an opening therein closed by a .slide-type'fastener assemblyv including longitudinal ,mounting tapes .for the interlocking elements of the assembly, fa friction grip-typeof ,fastener .assembly located .at the vend of the ,opening in alignment with the slide fastener assembly and including'amale fastener elernent .and a ,female fastener element, said male fastener element including .afplate having la substantially ,cylin- `drical tongue onone ledge thereof with the tongue kbeing generally in nalignment with `Vthe interlockingelements .of the slide Afastener assembly, .said ,female elementA including a plate having a pair of projecting tongues defining inwardly facing semi-cylindrical socketsatthe edge thereof ,generally lin Aalignment Iwith the'interlocking fasteners of-therslide ,fastener assembly for Yfrictionally receiving the V`cylindrical tongue on the Vmale 'fastener element, said plates ,beingy disposed lin overlying relation to the mounting tapes of the slide fastener assembly and including a plurality ofY longitudinally spaced openings for receiving a sewing machine needle therethrough whereby the plates pa'ralleltor the bottom edge ,but spaced therefrom forslidmg interlocking eng'ageIneIlt with .the loop at the top edge o f `eachof the plates Athereby"forming ,a triangular upper end `for the yplate for engagement with the fabric of the- ;garment forV 'forming the fabricV into substantially a V shaped junction at the `edge of the opening. Y

(5V. Afastener ,assembly ,for tgarnichts Vand `the likeV comprising a male fastener element anda lfemale fastener Velement, said male fastener element including a plate having a plurality of longitudinally aligned and mutually spaced aperture means formed therein for receiving a sewing needle to enable the plate to be attached to the garments, certain of said aperture means being dened by inwardly extending notches communicating with one side edge of the plate, said one side edge of the plate having `a centrally disposed projecting tongue forming the inner edges of the notches and projecting beyond said one edge of the plate, said Itongue terminating in a substantially cylindrical end portion disposed beyond the lateral confines of the plate, said female fastener Velement including a plate having a plurality of longitudinally aligned and spaced aperture means therein lfor receiving a sewing needle for enabling the plate to be attached to a garment, certain of said aperture means being formed by inwardly vextending notches communicating With one side edge of the plate, the central portion of the plate having a pair of projecting tongues dening side edges of the notches and projecting beyond the corresponding edge of the plate,

said tongues terminating in a pair of generally arcuate 20 members having concave surfaces facing each other to form a generally split cylindrical socket disposed beyond the lateral contines of the plate for frictional engagement with the tongue on the male fastener element, each of said References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 187,308 Phyfe Feb. 13, 1877 573,829 Mixer Dec.`22, 1896 2,114,429 Roseman Apr. A19, 1938 2,184,650 Roseman Dec. 26, 1939 2,358,178 Marinsky Sept. 12, 1944 2,568,969 Reiss Sept. 25, 1951 2,713,684 Yeboles July 26, 1955 2,765,471 Cousins Oct. 9, 1956 2,912,984 .Tensen Nov. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS A 572,012 Canada Mar.` 10, 1959 862,022 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1961 323,302 Switzerland Sept. 14, 1957 

1. A FASTENER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A MALE FASTENER ELEMENT AND A FEMALE FASTENER ELEMENT, SAID MALE ELEMENT INCLUDING A PLATE HAVING A LATERAL TONGUE ON ONE EDGE THEREOF, SAID TONGUE TERMINATING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL END EDGE, SAID FEMALE ELEMENT INCLUDING A PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF PROJECTING TONGUES TERMINATING IN INWARDLY FACING SEMICYLINDRICAL SOCKETS AT THE END EDGES THEREBY DEFINING A SOCKET FOR RECEIVING THE END EDGE OF THE TONGUE ON THE MALE MEMBER, SAID TONGUES BEING OF LESS WIDTH THAN THE PLATED AND CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENT MATERIAL FOR FRICTIONAL LOCKING ENGAGEMENT, EACH OF SAID PLATES INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED OPENINGS WHEREBY A SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE MAY PROJECT THERETHROUGH FOR STITCHING THE ELEMENTS OF FABRIC MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED THEREBY, EACH OF SAID PLATES BEING CONSTRUCTED FROM A REVERSELY FOLDED MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED WITHIN THE REVERSELY FOLDED END PORTION OF A SLIDE FASTENER MOUNTING TAPE THUS MOUNTING THE ASSEMBLY AT THE END OF A SLIDE FASTENER, EACH OF SAID TONGUES ON THE FEMALE ELEMENT BEING REVERSELY FOLDED TO CLAMPINGLY ENGAGEING THE EDGE OF THE SLIDE FASTENER TAPE. 